Chaotic Extraction
by Emberblood
Summary: When Shadow is drained of all of his chaos energy, Sonic is the only one who can help him. In critical condition, Shadow's only hope to survival is Sonic's own life force, which means staying at Sonic's side for months before being able to go out on his own again. (Sonadow/Shadonic)
1. Critical Mission

Sonic panted as he ran through the G.U.N base, his white gloved hand holding tightly onto Tails' forearm. He grit his teeth as he ran through the maze of halls.

Sirens blared throughout the building, letting everyone know there were unwelcome intruders in the building.

The yellow chaos emerald in his other hand glowed in the dim halls where Sonic and Tails ran, desperately trying to outrun the G.U.N Agents. Sonic's ears swiveled behind him as the sound of heavy footsteps filled and echoed off the empty metal halls.

Sonic cursed under his breath, making a sharp turn. He hid behind a corner emerald eyes watching soldiers run past him. He smirked, quickly dragging Tails with him as he weaved his way throughout the facility.

He tightened his grip on Tails' forearm, angry that G.U.N had spotted them trying to steal the chaos emerald. He tried to explain to the commander that it was for a good cause, but knowing G.U.N, as soon as the commander opened his mouth to send out an order, he quickly grabbed Tails' forearm and sped away.

He forgot to say that the good cause was trying to save the hedgehog they had almost killed.

But that was not important now.

What was important now was getting the hell out of G.U.N headquarters and getting their prized possession back to where it belonged.

"Sonic, halt your actions or else you will be exterminated!"

Sonic abruptly stopped as the commander of G.U.N appeared from a hall in front of them, slowly walking around the corner. He growled silently as the G.U.N soldiers who were chasing them surrounded them from behind. They aimed their weapons at them, and Sonic in response, held Tails close to him, ears flat against his skull while he glared.

His eyes narrowed as the Commander took a step forward, and he quickly put his arm in front of Tails, daring the commander to make a move on his little brother. The commander only grinned, which made Sonic even more irritated.

"Sonic, I thought you knew better than to steal from G.U.N, nevertheless a chaos emerald…" The commander kept his grin while speaking.

"Yeah, first of all, that chaos emerald belongs to Shadow. And I also know that you guys are so stuck up and stubborn, that no matter what I said, you would still be total nutcases and not give us the emerald." Sonic smirked as he took a step forward, making the commander raise an eyebrow.

Sonic shrugged.

"And from what I learned from my own experience and from Shadow, you're also complete idiot's." Sonic then closed his eyes and shook his head with a sad and mocking matter.

"And we thought you were the 'good guys.'" Sonic spoke the last two words with obvious sarcasm. He whipped his head around, glaring at each soldier.

"You're all a disgrace." Sonic spat out, quills bristling in hostility.

The commander held a stoic, cold expression from this, but he was boiling with rage. Tails held an expression of pure terror, his eyes trailing from Sonic, to the commander, to the guns each soldier was currently holding. Tails wasn't stupid. He knew Sonic was trying to improvise, which was the reason for his small talk, more like small mock, with the commander.

"So, you are saying Shadow is a bad guy then?" The commander questioned.

"He's more of a hero than you could ever be, that's for sure." Sonic retorted confidently.

"Didn't he try to kill us all twice?"

Sonic nodded in a mock manner, as if pondering. "Didn't you guys kill his only family, leaving him alone and lost, filled with so much grief he was willing to explode the planet for revenge?"

The commander huffed in anger, hand pointing forward.

"Nice talking to ya, but I gotta go. Places to be, y'know!" Sonic saluted the commander, a smirk on his face, knowing he won the argument.

Sonic tightened his hold on Tails, eyes closed in concentration.

"Chaos control!"

"Fire!"

Both males yelled in unison.

A soft glow enveloped both mobian's, a few soldiers shielding their eyes from the brightness.

Sonic yelled when he felt something sharp stick itself into his leg, but the pain disappeared as they teleported.

Sonic sighed in relief when the familiar furniture filled his eyesight. Shadow's signature symbol decorated the wall, letting anyone know that he lived here.

"Rouge! I got it!" Sonic yelled.

Sonic's ears swivels towards the sound of heels clicking against polished wood. The sassy bat soon appeared, her appearance disheveled and weary. Sonic held up his prize, a small smile gracing his features.

"So, now that I fulfilled your mission...request, whatever you agents call it, do you mind telling me why Shadow is...sick?" Sonic questioned, tilting his head slightly.

Rouge tilted her head, eyes full of confusion. Sonic, instead of standing in his confident pose, was kneeling, rather awkwardly. She dismissed it, heading to Sonic's question.

"They sabotaged us. Shadow and I came back from a mission, and they trapped him in that machine. They took his chaos emerald away to ensure he couldn't were trying to extract his chaos energy…" Rouge explained, eyelids heavy in exhaustion.

Rouge sat down in her white and pink recliner, exhaustion clear on her visage.

"It was horrible. They told him they needed to speak with him in private. He agreed, of course. I went to follow, but they told me I couldn't...if I hadn't ignored them...Shadow would have been immensely damaged. They put him in a capsule. They were using him as if he were nothing, Sonic. It was horrible."

Sonic narrowed his eyes. Why Shadow agreed to work with G.U.N despite all they did was beyond him. Perhaps it was a form of closure, for himself as well as Maria.

He was pretty sure they did these types of experiments to him on the ARK as well.

Simply thinking of the concept made Sonic boil with anger.

"Sonic, you are aware there is a dart stuck on your upper leg, right?"

Sonic glanced down, once again remembering his predicament. He attempted to move his leg, but it stayed put.

Huh. So that's why Rouge looked so tall.

"Sonic, we should take that out before the paralyzation liquid spreads throughout your body." Tails suggested while struggling to help Sonic up.

"Here, let me help you hun." Rouge smiled, sauntering over towards the two. She hoisted Sonic up in one go, her arms under his armpits as she heaved.

Tails disappeared into the bathroom, only to emerge once again with first aid supplies.

Sonic dismissed her, waving his hand once he was up.

"Thanks, Rouge. I can take it from here." Sonic stated, hopping forward on one leg. He neared a wall, using it to help sustain his body.

Tails lead him to Shadow's black couch, Sonic flopping down into the comfortable seat. He winced in pain as Tails yanked out the yellow dart, wiping Sonic's small wound clean with disinfectant. He wrapped Sonic's upper leg in white bandage, making sure it would heal.

Sonic grinned, giving a thumbs up, ruffling Tails' head fur.

"Thanks bro!" Sonic exclaimed, nodding towards the kitsune. Tails smiled back, walking towards the bathroom to put the supplies back.

"Where's Shadow?" Sonic questioned, a hint of worry in his eyes and voice.

"I'll show you." Rouge moved forward, glancing back to make sure Sonic was following her. Tails followed close behind, making sure his brother was stable while hopping forward.

Sonic looked back, looking at his brother. Tails gave an encouraging smile, blue eyes soft.

"I'm sure he's fine, bro."

They neared a door at the end of the hall, the black door menacing against the beige wall.

Rouge opened the door slowly, allowing Sonic to peek inside.

Sonic's demeanor drastically changed when he caught sight of Shadow.

The ebony hedgehog was incredibly skinny, eyes sunken in, the black bags under his eyes clearly visible. His quills were a mess, looking as if he were attempting to wrestle a bear. His usually bright red stripes were dull, along with his black coat. It seemed more grey than black. His limiter rings hung loosely around his wrists, along with his gloves.

His pose didn't help. He looked as if he were in a coffin, hands entangled together on his chest, body rigid and straight.

Tails gasped at the sickly sight, baby blue eyes widened in surprise.

"They...they sucked the chaos energy...his life force, right out of him." Tails muttered, posture rigid.

"Oh Chaos." Sonic whispered, limping into the room, paralyzation poison slowly fading away. The room was neat as always. Shadow despised messy rooms.

Sonic stood beside Shadow, hand tenderly ghosting over his tan muzzle.

"I'm leaving, Sonic. I'll see if I can do research and check if there is a solution to this." Tails announced, twin tails disappearing down the hall.

Sonic gave a barely audible 'okay' in reply, emerald eyes trained on the ebony hedgehog in front of him.

Honestly, seeing Shadow so frail and dead freaked him out. The anger filled hedgehog was so messed up. He couldn't let Shadow, or his brother, suffer.

Rouge and Sonic stayed in silence for a while, Rouge quietly observing Sonic.

"He hasn't moved or done anything for over four days. I'm worried, Sonic."

"He is the ultimate life form for a reason, Rouge. He'll pull through." Sonic reached down, hands grasping Shadow's limiters.

He gently unclasped them and placed them on Shadow's desk.

"What are you doing?!" Rouge hissed, ears flattening in irritation. Sonic glanced back, arms crossed against his chest.

Shadow didn't like anyone touching his things. Especially if they were on him.

Sonic was crossing very dangerous boundaries.

"His limiter rings control and limit his chaos energy, right? But, the least we need right now is for Shadow to limit his chaos energy. If anything, he needs much more of it." Sonic turned his head back toward the bat.

"Shadow won't be pleased. You crossed his boundaries."

Sonic rolled his eyes, hand on his hip in annoyance.

"So what? I'm not afraid of the faker, if that's what you're implying."

Sonic grinned, showing off his tiny, sharp incisors.

"In fact, he'll be so happy when he finds out I helped save his life."

Rouge snickered in response.

"Yes, he will worship your very name."

Sonic remained silent, staring at Shadow while he scratched his chin in thought.

"Sonic, you have no beard, what are you scratching, exactly?"

Sonic raised an eye ridge.

"My chin. Sshh, I'm thinking."

Sonic circled Shadow, inspecting the other.

He hated seeing Shadow so weak.

He turned to Rouge.

"Give me the chaos emerald."

Rouge moved forward, giving Sonic the emerald. Sonic placed the emerald in Shadow's chest fur, waiting for a reaction.

For anything.

Both mobian's stood there for two hours, waiting for something to happen.

Sonic read one of Shadow's favorite books, while Rouge scrolled through her phone.

Three more hours passed. Sonic had read three books and Rouge had changed her status more times than she could count.

Damn, Shadow sure liked fantasy and the supernatural.

Sonic simply loved reading about demons.

But Shadow never reacted, the yellow glow from the chaos emerald seeming hopeless.

If anything, it made Shadow's state worse, it lit up every detail on the ebony male's face.

Three more hours passed.

With every passing hour, Shadow grew weaker. Sonic could hear Shadow's laboured breaths, chest heaving. Sonic sent a worried glance towards Shadow, which did not go unnoticed by Rouge.

Four more hours passed. Rouge had fell asleep, but Sonic stayed awake, waiting for a sign.

But nothing came.

Sonic groaned in frustration, hand slamming down on the desk. Rouge jumped, her previously closed eyes now wide open.

"Come on, Shadow, you're the ultimate life form! Show me the proof!" Sonic advanced towards Shadow, kneeling down so he was face to face with Shadow.

"Come on, faker. Don't give up on me." Sonic whispered, gloved hand tentatively reaching out towards Shadow's muzzle. He rubbed Shadow's cheek, a look of pain in his eyes as he hid his face against Shadow's side.

Sonic jumped when he heard a groan, fur brushing underneath his hand.

Rouge uncrossed her legs, both hands clutching her chair in shock.

Shadow moved his head closer to Sonic's hand, tan muzzle rubbing against Sonic's hand.

"He responded!" Rouge exclaimed, a smile on her face. Sonic only stared back in shock.

Shadow, the guy who got pissed off when someone touched or took his chaos emerald, the guy who practically couldn't live without it.

Had completely ignored his precious emerald in favor of Sonic.

Oh, Sonic was so going to hold this fact against Shadow when he woke up.

Sonic smiled, grin bright as he scratched Shadow behind his ear.

Sonic choked on his own breath as Shadow smiled, ears flicking in response to the affection.

Shadow's smile alone could be one of the seven wonders of the world.

A flash of white was seen, and Sonic whipped his head around, emerald eyes wide. Rouge was giggling, phone in hand.

"Aw, big blue, you made him smile!" Rouge exclaimed, a shit eating grin plastered on her face.

"Rouge!" Sonic yelled, attempting to grab Rouge's phone. Rouge laughed, a smug expression gracing her face as she stepped back. Sonic fell face first into the black carpeted floor. Sonic internally groaned.

Geez, Shadow needed some color in his life.

"Rouge, delete that!" Sonic's protest was muffled, due to his mouth still being full of the emo carpet.

"Wait till Shadow sees this!"

"No!"

Sonic heaved himself up, using his forearms to drag himself forward. He gripped the pink tips on top of Rouge's boots, annoyance fueling his gaze.

Rouge showed Sonic her phone screen, the recently taken picture making Sonic's eyes widen and cheeks burn with embarrassment and anger.

Sonic was kneeling beside Shadow, his eyes were soft, fingers behind Shadow's ear. Shadow's muzzle was bearing a rare genuine smile.

He should break Rouge's phone.

That was a cursed image.

"I will hurt you!"

"Says the hedgehog with a temporarily useless leg. And, side note, that's Shadow's line."

Sonic grimaced. He let go of Rouge, dragging himself back towards Shadow. He touched the other's arm, smiling when he received a response.

Shadow flicked his ear, involuntarily letting Sonic know he felt the touch.

He was just glad Shadow was going to be alright.


	2. It Gets Better

Sonic experienced the pain first while out shopping for groceries.

Tails had no milk for his favorite cereal and so, Sonic being the brotherly gentlemen he was, had made his way toward the closest supermarket to obtain the carton.

He had been in the dairy aisle when the pain started. Choosing between whether to get the two percent low fat or the zero percent fat milk.

Important life decisions, you know.

A surge of pain suddenly filled his body, as if flames were melting his very flesh. Sonic sniffed the air, looking wildly around him to make sure he wasn't actually on fire.

Sonic gasped, making strange pain filled sounds as he grabbed the red milk carton. His hands were clammy underneath the fabric of his gloves. He swallowed thickly, emerald eyes oozing with pain as he stepped forwards, stumbling along the way.

He received several looks from customers roaming the store, a child even offered their lollipop to the hero to make the blue blur feel better.

Sonic politely as he could, denied the offer, giving the child a smile full of pain before moving forward once again.

The pain was becoming unberabarble. With every aisle he passed, the pain became stronger.

"What...what is this?" Sonic lamented, body shaking as he made his way toward the cashier. He thanks chaos that the line was empty, slamming the carton on the dull conveyor belt as his hands gripped the edge of the steel bar.

The cashier gave Sonic an odd look, charging and placing the carton into a plastic bag.

But she didn't ask if he was okay.

No, because no one truly cared what happened to the customer they were dealing with a slong as they paid and went their merry way.

"Your total is five dollars." The woman said, high ponytail waving around in the air. Sonic flicked his ear in irritation as hearing the absurd price.

'Five dollars?!' Sonic remarked in his mind, taking his wallet out of his quills, fishing out the right amount of cash and giving the cashier her money.

Had it been any normal circumstance, Sonic would have ran to another cheaper place. The prices here were crazy.

Some, if not most places in Station square, rejected rings as a form of currency, in favor of the green paper which was called 'money'.

So, in turn, Sonic had to get a job to provide for Tails and himself. He hated working as a waiter when things were normal, no Eggman to defeat or villain to upstand, spending hours dealing with people's bullshit on whether the water was too cold or food too saucy, only to come waste his money on one blasted carton of milk.

But the pain reminded him that this was no normal circumstance. He felt as if he were getting ready to implode on himself.

"Here." Sonic choked out earning yet another strange look from the cashier. The cashier rang in his purchase, giving him back his change in a slow manner that made Sonic wince in annoyance.

Couldn't this lady see that he was in a rush and in immense pain?!

Sonic grabbed the bag in a rush, a blur blur zooming through the streets of Station Square, feet soon reaching sand as they neared his and Tails' shared house. He soon moved on to grass filled land. The grass felt strange under his shoes, legs wobbling as he neared the cozy looking house.

The only thing ruining the home was that it was near the beach, which meant it was near water.

But the house had two additional shacks situated near the beach and a garage for Tails so, there wasn't much left to complain about.

He was now strangely hypersensitive to the most insignificant of things, apparently.

He could hear noises he never could hear before, like the rustling of creatures from afar, or the buzzing of bees several feet away.

Was this a bad sign he should worry about?

Probably.

* * *

Shadow waited. He walked for miles on end, heavy skates clanking against the floor as he walked in the neverending void.

He knew it was inevitable. Darkness was too merciful for him.

He knew he was in a coma, or at least, in a coma like state. The darkness he experienced for fifty years grew familiar in his mind, his statis deep state back when he was in Prison Island training him in endurance.

His imprisonment in the cryo capsule on Prison Island made him patient enough to wait for a fool to open his pod to unleash his fury and revenge.

But, this coma was rather different. He wasn't in a statis deep state, now. He was very much alive, and he couldn't feel the cold around him.

Any moment now, a past memory would reawaken, and come to life. His mind just loved guilt tripping him, so very much.

Life had to punish him for the wrongs he did, and for his rather dark sense of morality.

He really didn't care though, as long as he came out alright in the end.

He had amnesia twice, _twice_ , but of course, life found a way to return him his past.

But, he did want to know of his past and who he was, so he himself caused his own suffering. It's better to suffer in the truth than live content in lies. He looked for it, and found it. He didn't regret it.

He rarely regretted anything.

He needed to know who he was, even if it hurt.

Shadow sighed, hating how he was in a strange state of consciousness instead of just being in darkness, only being conscious when he was awoken.

But he couldn't be awoken this time around. He had to wake up himself this time.

How he was going to, he didn't know.

He wasn't in a cryo chamber that could be opened and unfrozen this time.

In fact, he didn't remember how the hell he even got in a coma in the first place. All he remembered was a burning sensation coursing through his body, as if flames were enveloping his body.

He could feel the chaos energy evaporating from his body like water evaporating from a puddle on a scorching hot day.

He heard a female voice shout his name, tone frantic and full of worry.

A smash was heard, glass shards falling around him as he harshly collided with the metal floor.

He couldn't move. Was he paralyzed? Tranquilized? No, he couldn't be. He vaguely felt his fingers scratch the floor, excruciating pain coursing through him every time he attempted to move, to no avail.

Shadow observed through half lidded vacant, pain filled eyes as a pair of yellow, green and red sneakers approached him, head buzzing and eyesight growing blurry.

And then, he blacked out, leading him to the state he was currently in.

It was worse then accidentally hitting himself with a chaos spear when practicing his fighting skills.

And they _hurt_. His shoulder was stiff for a good amount of hours before completely healing over. If it had been a normal mobian, it would have left behind a second degree burn on their delicate flesh.

Now, he was conscious in his own wretched mind.

He couldn't hear anything from the real world. He couldn't feel or sense anything.

He ran his hand through his quills in frustration.

He was waiting. Waiting to wake up. Waiting to escape the never-ending nightmare.

He couldn't endure fifty more years of being asleep, and immobile. He just couldn't.

He couldn't endure _any_ amount of time being unresponsive and immobile, oblivious to what was going on in the real world.

He had to protect the pathetic humans.

* * *

Sonic struggled for the last mile.

He felt as if Eggman's badniks had beat him up badly while he was asleep.

He fell several times, the stumbles he made too great to avoid falling.

"Ugh, no more chili dogs for the rest of the day." Sonic moaned. Maybe that was the reason he was suffering.

Maybe his body was finally punishing him for not eating healthy. Perhaps Tails was right.

Well, Tails was always right, maybe he should listen.

Sonic grimaced, lips set in a firm line, sapphire fur gleaming in the sun as he pondered the possibilities as to why he was basically quite literally dying inside.

Sonic wavered as he stood up, the pain shot through his bones, making him clench his teeth.

"Aw...man…" The blue hedgehog groaned, posture bent over while he rested his hands on his knees. This was going to be a rather unpleasant run.

And no run had ever been unpleasant to experience.

* * *

The same traumatic experience repeated itself.

It had been for the past several...days? _Weeks_? Shadow had no sense of time whatsoever.

Shadow watched as the soldier, who he had memorized every facial detail, raised his gun.

He hated the man and all other men behind him.

They were cold blooded murderers.

Project Shadow was dangerous, they said. It justified their actions, they thought. The raid, the violence, the destruction of everything and everyone aboard the ARK simply because they were afraid of what he was capable of.

How pathetic humans were, with their idiotic fears.

Shadow simply stared, tired of banging against the glass in a fruitless attempt to save his friend, his sister.

How ironic, that the thing which was supposed to save her was the cause of her very downfall.

Shadow's ears pressed against his skull as he heard the loud sound of a firearm being used, the bang making his skull revibrate the sound. His hands felt clammy as he watched his friend once again slowly die in front of him.

It was basically suicide, killing herself in order to save him.

He watched, as the crimson blood tainted her beautiful blue dress.

He watched as her blonde hair gracefully flew in the air, before she fell to the ground.

He watched as she outstretched her hand towards him, mouth moving, asking the same promise he had memorized by heart.

To protect the world and its people.

Shadow only stood there, staring blankly. He gulped when he heard the final seconds of the countdown, yelling Maria's name as he was shot into earth's atmosphere.

They were supposed to escape together. Gerald Robotnik trusted him.

Although, he altered his memories to annihilate the world, Shadow respected it if only slightly. Either way, he was almost certain he would have gotten his own revenge even without the professor's alterations.

It wasn't his fault. It wasn't his fault she was dead.

But he let her convince him to get into the capsule. He let her help him escape. He let her sacrifice herself for him.

So, in the end, it was his fault.

Project Shadow was a failure to its main purpose. Making deals with demon aliens, all for it to only fail in the end.

And he cried, hands sliding down the glass of the capsule, knowing that it would be his heavy burden for the rest of eternity.

* * *

Tails' ears perked up when he heard the sound of the front door slamming open.

"Hey, Sonic, how…." Tails trailed off when Sonic collapsed on the floor, milk thudding alongside him. He shook on the ground, curling in on himself while his gloved hand clenched his chest in agony.

His cobalt quills bristled due to his distraughted state in a form of defense, despite the danger being inside his own body.

"Tails, what is wrong with me?" Sonic scratched out, voice wavering in response to the pain.

Tails hurriedly got up, kneeling next to his older brother in concern. He attempted to touch Sonic's shoulder, only to be pricked by one of the blue blur's quills in turn.

Sonic gave a quick apology in response to the involuntary action.

Tails bit his lip.

He might have an idea of what the pain meant and what it was caused by.

"Tails, I'm truly dead inside now, Help me, I'm dying. I'm sorry for not eating healthy, just make it stop!" Sonic scratched out, voice hoarse.

Looks like that research came in handy.

* * *

Nightmares. That's all Shadow knew at the current moment. Every nightmare brought forth a past memory which he despised.

If he lived by that, then every one of his memories where nightmares in themselves.

That's why his memories were his enemy. This is why he was ambivalent towards anything, and everything.

Amnesia, in a cruel way, was a blessing, because it provided a sort of freedom from the burden and grief of the past.

But his amnesia only saved his most darkest memories.

What more nightmare then your grief filled, messed up past?

But the nightmare which always came back to life was that of the ARK incident. Shadow had to relive that grief ridden day every time he came back to consciousness.

It was strange, really. He was just basically floating in some sort of limbo right now. Sometimes he swore he could hear familiar voices around him, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't wake up.

He couldn't focus his hearing, or move. He was just in some sort of waiting game, waiting to wake up, whenever that may be.

Coma's were hell to experience. Shadow spent 50 years asleep before he was awakened, he didn't need anymore years to add on to that experience.

One minute he was resting in darkness and the other, he was running, sirens blaring into his overly sensitive ears as he lead Maria to her ultimate demise.

Shadow hated loud noise.

Not only was it irritating to his sensitive ears, but it was a reminder of the blaring sirens he had heard so long ago as well.

Shadow gripped Maria's hand tighter, swerving around a sharp corner. He could run through these halls with his eyes closed. The route was printed in his brain, every fiber of his being knowing the exact steps taken countless times before.

But this time, it was oddly different. He noticed a difference, if only slight, in the movement beside him. In the hand he was holding ever so tightly.

Maria never ran this fast. Her hands didn't fit perfectly into his, either.

Not only that, those were minor things compared to the strong feel of chaos energy he was receiving from the other.

Shadow looked back, pausing if only for a second, taken aback while crimson eyes widened as he stared back into frightened emerald.

"Sonic?!" Shadow remarked, voice full of shock and questioning. What the hell was going on?

"Get down!" Sonic yelled, Shadow heeding to Sonic's sudden warning. He barely escaped a bullet, it's metal body almost managing to graze his ear.

Shadow got up, grabbing Sonic's arm firmly. His ruby eyes were ablaze, chaos energy sparking around him.

"Where's Maria?!" Shadow questioned, voice menacing.

But Sonic did not listen to his inquire. Instead, the blue blur whipped his head back, quills bristling in adrenaline and mild fear.

Shadow then slightly gaped his mouth open in realization. He stumbled for a moment as he swerved around a sudden corner with Sonic in tow, the blue hedgehog keeping up with the ebony hedgehog with no problem nor hesitation whatsoever.

He secretly liked that about Sonic, the cocky hedgehog was the only one who could keep up with him.

His mind had altered his memory to someone he had in his mind rather consistently. How could he not, when the faker constantly visited him, raced him, taunted him?

Of course Sonic was always on the back of his mind in someway.

Although, Shadow begrudgingly did find amusement in annoying Sonic as well.

His mind had replaced Maria with the blue faker.

Here, in this memory, of all places.

"Shadow, their gaining!" Sonic yelled back, eyes once again meeting ruby irises, hand gripping tighter to Shadow's own. Shadow was ready to protest, when a sudden gunshot rang in his ears.

Shadow heard a yell beside him, Sonic's hand gripping tighter onto the ebony hedgehogs own.

Shadow could suddenly smell the sickening iron scent of blood, recognizing its scent to be Sonic's, and looked down only to see Sonic's bloodied side.

Thick, crimson liquid soon slowly oozed out if the wound.

A gunshot had grazed his velvety soft cobalt fur.

Shadow felt anger surge through him, and ran faster through the halls. Shadow felt Sonic lack in speed, and having no time for delays, he quickly scooped up Sonic, carrying him bridal style through the dangerous halls he once called home.

It was a messed up home, but it was home, because Maria and the professor were there.

Sonic protested of course, his annoying but rather tolerable voice strangely comforting Shadow through this repeatable terror.

"Hey! Shadow, let me down! I can take care of myself, y'know?" Sonic protested, emerald eyes glaring at the other in annoyance.

Shadow could feel blood sinking into his gloves from Sonic's grazed bullet wound. He rolled his eyes in response. He rubbed the area around the wound gently, as if attempting to soothe the other of their pain.

"Sure you can, faker." Shadow responded, hands gripping tighter onto the cobalt hedgehog. Sonic pouted, crossing his arms.

"Are you sure we can outrun these guys? Just..leave me behind, Shadow, I can take them on!" Sonic argued.

"Shut up and trust me, hedgehog!" Shadow growled back, skates roaring to life as he increased speed.

He didn't know if it was just the lack of chaos energy messing with his mind and altering reality.

But he knew.

He had to get Sonic to safety.

He had to. He couldn't let Sonic suffer the same fate Maria did. He would never forgive himself if Sonic died as well, illusion or not.

Rivalry or not, this was a life that had to be spared.

He made a promise.

* * *

"What?" Sonic questioned, voice firm. What Tails just explained went completely over his head.

Tails kept on typing on his computer, nimble fingers fast as they did their rather tedious job.

"Shadow's chaos energy is draining again, the pain you feel is Shadow's way of telling you he needs your energy. He sensed the lack of your chaos energy, hence the lack of your presence." Tails stated matter of factly.

"Does it have to hurt that much?" Sonic questioned, voice cracked as he gripped his chest while doubled over on the chair he was currently sitting on.

"Well, the way it is done depends on the mobian and their own individual energy. Shadow doesn't like to be ignored, and as you know he-"

"- Does whatever it takes to get what he wants, yada yada, I know." Sonic mumbled, swallowing thickly.

He spent enough time with the ebony hedgehog to know at least some of his pet peeves.

Tails rolled his eyes. "Yes. Since you shared your own energy, and he accepted it, both of your energies are now temporarily bonded until he can fend for his own again. What you feel and how much you feel depends on your relationship and what is needed."

Sonic tilted his head, enjoying the momentary feeling of no pain.

He didn't feel like clawing out his insides anymore.

"So, will I feel Shadow's feelings? Like, if he feels angry, will I suddenly feel the urge to punch someone in the face and laugh as they double over in pain?" Sonic asked, one eyebrow raised.

Tails opened his mouth, finger raised ready to respond.

Sonic then perked up, emerald eyes bright.

"Will I be able to do some of his abilities, like chaos spear, or chaos blast?! I don't like to admit it, but their cool." Sonic crossed his arms, looking away nonchalantly.

Tails sighed, shaking his head. "I just told you, bro. How much you experience or feel depends on how much both of you are willing to share. Vulnerability is essential in order to increase the bond, because you two are literally sharing the same life force, the same energy. You both are wielders of pure chaos energy, due to the chaos emeralds and having the ability to go super, so its even more deep than a normal mobian's chaos bond, per say. And, I don't know, if he shows you, I guess..." Tails explained further, making rapid hand gestures while doing so.

Sonic huffed, placing his chin into his palm as he leaned forward, knees sustaining his elbows.

Sonic didn't think Shadow would have the patience to deal with him, let alone teach him complicated moves having to do with chaos energy

"Figures." Sonic spoke.

"Shadow isn't doing this on purpose, you know. He's only doing what he has to in order to survive. And, your his only way to at the moment." Tails shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure you would have done the same, or something similar, Sonic."

"Yes. But, I wouldn't have made him feel like clawing his insides out." Sonic rolled his eyes, irritated.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." Tails singsonged, fingers clicking away on the keys of the keyboard.

"So, do I have to go back to him?" Sonic asked.

A sudden surge of pain coursed through him, causing him to make a choking sound. Sonic groaned, lying down on the floor and stayed on the ground.

The cool wood floor against his warm cheek felt nice.

Tails gave a comforting smile, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"I think that was your response."

-0-

The sound of metal against metal resounded throughout the facility, Shadow's heavy pants filling the air as Sonic and he ran further. The angry shouts of G.U.N shoulders sound all around them, swarming around the ARK like wolves zooming in on their prey.

Shadow swerved around a corner, dragging Sonic along with him. He placed his finger on Sonic's mouth, watching as G.U.N soldiers passed them blindly. Both hedgehog then proceeded, running for a short while before Shadow stopped in front of an awfully familiar door.

The capsule room.

Where Maria had died repeatedly countless times before.

Sonic stood beside him, head turned back as emerald eyes scanned the hall in back of them. Shadow hurriedly type din the password, dragging Sonic along with him as they entered the room.

Shadow knew what he had to do. Both mobians moved towards the capsule, staring at it in waiting.  
"Shadow, get in the pod." Sonic stated, emerald eyes trained on the capsule

He let go of Sonic's hand, hands ready to push the other into the dreaded enclosed tube, when a gunshot suddenly whisked past his eyes.

Shadow growled, standing in front of the blue hedgehog protectively as he stared down the G.U.N soldiers.

"Blue hedgehog, step away from the creature. We will take care of him shortly." A G.U.N soldier spoke, gun ready as they stared at the hero of Mobius.

"Yes, I'm sure you will." Shadow heard behind him, when suddenly he was grabbed by behind, momentarily flying through the air before he was slammed against glass. He heard the awful, familiar sound of the capsule's suffocating 'click', confirming its closure.

Shadow instantly got up, crimson eyes riddled with fear and anger as he watched SOnic stand in front of his capsule, stance proud and unafraid.

"No…" Shadow whispered. "You should be afraid, please be afraid and run...leave me here." Shadow choked out.

"Blue hedgehog, you have violated our command."

"You don't know what they're capable of." Shadow whispered out, more to himself, knowing that the other couldn't hear him with all the commotion.

Sonic stood beside the haunting lever, gloved hand gripping the handle firmly, emerald eyes full of determination.

"Sonic!" Shadow yelled, fists anging against the thick glass in desperation. But Sonic ignored his cries, an ear angling back toward him being the only indication that the other had heard him.

"No…"

"Get you hand off that lever, or else you'll regret it!" A G.U.N soldier yelled.

"I don't regret anything." Sonic spoke in response.

Shadow watched in horror as Sonic pushed the lever down.

It all happened in slow motion.

Shadow screamed as he saw the bullet leave the gun, its metal body embedding itself into Sonic's chest. Blood splattered everywhere, the warm liquid splattering against the glass of his capsule.

His crimson eyes widened as he watched Sonic's knees fall to the ground, followed by the rest of his body as he crumpled to the floor in a bloodied heap. Shadow's fists banged against the glass, throat turning dry as his screamed echoed inside of his capsule.

Sonic weakly lifted his head, emerald orbs watching Shadow with a hint of sadness. He smiled, eyebrows furrowed.

"Shadow, don't let this define who you are." SOnic choked out, blood dripping down his chin and landing on the floor below him.

At the sight of this, Shadow slid down the capsule, hands resting against the glass,knees sending a painful ache as they connected harshly with the floor below them.

"Help others, please, faker." Sonic gulped.

"Promise me you'll remember me and help others. Promise me you'll be okay." Sonic gasped out, hand outstretched towards Shadow.

Shadow pressed his palm further into the glass, longing to feel the other's touch.

"I-I promise." Shadow choked out, tears now forming as the last numbers of the haunting countdown began to finish.

"Shadow…" Sonic weakly spoke, body trembling. He gave a soft smile so heartfelt that his vacant eyes suddenly lit up one last time.

"I trust you…" Blood dribbled down Sonic's chin.

The last thing he saw before departing was Sonic's last soft, heartfelt smile, emerald eyes losing their gleam as blue eyelids closed over them for the very last time.

Shadow yelled in agony, letting the tears fall down his face as he buried his face into his hands in pure despair.

He had failed, once again. The ultimate lifeform had failed yet a second time.

Shadow yelled, banging his fists on the glass as he descended onto earth once again, alone.

His hands slid against the glass in defeat.

Sonic's blood smeared the glass from his bloodied hand.

Knowing that this memory was not true did not relieve his pain, not at all.

What good was it to be the ultimate life form if you couldn't save people you had promised to protect?

* * *

"Sonic!" Sonic's communicator vibrated, the sound leaving a ringing in his ears due to its unnecessary loudness. "It's me, Rouge."

"Yes, Rouge, I can hear you." Sonic rubbed his ear, feet still running as he passed curious civilians.

His quills flowed in the wind behind him, cars beeping at him furiously as he crossed the street on a red light.

Heroes aren't perfect, they had their own priorities to fulfill and take care of.

"Shadow has been thrashing in his bed continuously, he even screamed for a while before calming down. I tried helping him, but he wouldn't respond. He even burned me in response to my aid."

Sonic smirked, he swore he could hear the pout in Rouge's words.

"Yeah, I know what's going on. Tails debunked it for me, y'know, me and my super smart bro." Sonic grinned, priding himself of his brother. Sonic soon became quiet as he heard a yell in the background, the voice painfully familiar. "I'll be there soon."

Sonic arrived in Westopolis in no time, feet stopping in front of Rouge and Shadow's shared apartment building.

He rang the buzzer to Rouge's apartment, the name tag next to their designated buzzer now dull with age and lack of care.

"Who is this?" Rouge's voice asked, her smooth, sultry voice now raspy thanks to the speakers ancient age.

When was the last time they checked this thing?

"Knock knock, it's Knuckles! Who do you think it is?!" Sonic's rather loud voice responded inside the extremely small lobby room. He heard Rouge snicker in the background.

"Right. Come in."

A high pitched buzz was then heard, letting Sonic know he could enter the building. Sonic instantly turned the old, rusted doorknob, feet thudding against dull marble flooring.

Sonic ran up the marble steps, arriving in front of Rouge's door in mere milliseconds.A small tag on the brown door displayed both agent's names, letting others know it was their apartment.

He knocked on the door loudly, foot tapping impatiently as he waited. Rouge soon arrived, opening the door slowly, ensuring that it was Sonic who was on the other side of the door.

Sonic entered, stretching his back as he walked.

"Whoo, Shadow sure doesn't like being ignored." Sonic remarked, turning around to face the bat.

Rouge placed her hand on her hip, right hip leaning slightly to the right.

"You can say that again."

Sonic chuckled, eyes staring at a G.U.N certificate which was hung up on their wall by a black frame.

 **Certificate of heroism**

 _Chosen by the people of Station Square, this certificate is awarded to Shadow the Hedgehog, who even through seemingly impossible challenges managed to pull through and protect humanity no matter the cost_

 _We recognize your endless contribution to keeping Mobius safe, and Thank you for your ongoing determination and braver_ y

 **G.U.N**

Huh. Shadow never mentioned this.

There was a medal as well, it's silver color glowing in the dark as it hng next to the frame. It was right next to Shadow's painted symbol on the wall.

Chaos, that guy was so full of himself.

Not that he should be one to talk.

"He got that weeks ago. I was the one who hung it up. He didn't show up to the ceremony or even acknowledge it. The news stations were having a field day. If it weren't for my effort, I'm sure it would all be in the trash." Rouge pursed her lips.

Sonic stayed silent. You couldn't trust G.U.N. They were like a two headed spear. There was always a silver lining to what they did. Rouge tapped his shoulder, motioning for him to follow her lead. Sonic complied, eyes turning away from the rather ironic award.

G.U.N sure did recognize it alright. By almost draining him into nothing.

"Despite this new dilemma, Shadow has been looking much better." Rouge remarked, aqua eyes bright as she led Sonic into Shadow's room. Sonic nodded, feet soon meeting black, fluffy carpet as he stepped into Shadow's room.

Shadow's red covers were thrown onto the floor in a heap, and the ebony hedgehog was currently shaking in his bed. Sonic jogged towards the other, placing his palm on Shadow's shoulder.

"Hey, buddy, I'm here." Sonic whispered, rubbing soothing circles on Shadow's shoulder. At the touch, Shadow visibly calmed down, shaking abruptly stopping at feeling the immediate touch of the blue hedgehog.

Sonic's eyes examined Shadow's body and features, happily noting that Shadow had improved immensely since his last visit two nights ago.

His red stripes were no longer dull, but rather the vibrant red which adorned his quills. His fur was once again black, and no longer the sickly grey charcoal it was before. His limiter rings now were snug against his firm wrists, body now back to its original mass. The bags under his eyes were still present, like his messy quills.

Shadow almost seemed like his normal, grumpy self again.

Sonic narrowed his eyes.

"I told you not to put on his power rings. They limit his energy." Sonic spoke as he once again took them off.

Rouge gave a sheepish grin in response.

Sonic acknowledged her by raising an eyebrow at her, but turned his attention back to Shadow.

"Apparently, Shads over here missed me. Didn't know the faker could." Sonic remarked rather amused, hand ruffling Shadow's already ungroomed quills. Sonic tilted his head.

"You haven't groomed his quills?" Sonic questioned, noticing a large amount of quills staying on his hand as he removed it from Shadow's thick head of quills.

"I can't, really, I'm not a hedgehog, I would get pricked by just grazing my fingers against them." Rouge stated, hand son her hips. She leaned against the doorframe, watching Sonic.

Sonic nodded silently, noting this information into his brain.

"Anyway, apparently, Shadow's chaos energy depleted a lot since my last time here. I'm radiating with pure chaos energy, which is why he healed up so quick. But, I need to keep on making regular visits so that his body balances the chaos energy on its own again. It's gonna take time, let me tell you." Sonic rubbed his nose, ears perked up.

"And, being away from Shadow is not a good idea. He made it pretty clear of what he thought of me leaving him with no amount of energy." Sonic sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Ygh, I don't even want to think of the pain. Thinking of it alone makes me shiver."

Rouge smirked. "Well, if you want to stay here, we have a spare bedroom for you to borrow, big blue."

Sonic looked up, ears perking up even more. "Really? Well, that would help a lot. I can't tell when Shadow will send me pain waves due to my lack of absence, so, thanks Rouge. I'll do the grocery shopping, if you'd like!" Sonic offered in return.

Rouge waved her hand in dismissal. "You don't have to, but whatever makes you happy, Sonic."

And with that, the bat left Sonic to his own boring adventures.

Sonic sighed, scanned Shadow's emo bookcase, grabbed a book about the supernatural, took hold of Shadow's comfy bean bag chair and placing it next to Shadow's bed.

Sonic stayed close, letting his body sink into the black bean bag chair as he flipped the pages of the book.

 **Chapter one** : _How to tell if it's a ghost or a demon_

Oh boy.

* * *

Darkness. That's all Shadow saw. Everlasting darkness.

The vision had stopped a while ago, the last thing he experienced from the rather disturbing experience was watching as he and his capsule landed on earth, his head banging against the glass harshly as a large crater was left in its wake.

Thanks chaos for his thick set of qulls.

Then, everything disappeared like leaves in the wind, color fading into nothing.

But it was a good nothing.

He felt a wave of calm tranquility wash over him, making him feel content.

He felt a surge of energy flow through him, it felt warm and inviting.

It felt nothing like the energy the Black Arms, or his father, Black Doom, possessed. Their energy felt cold, dark and malevolent, he hated how it coursed his veins.

No.

This energy was pure, filling every inch of his body with warm, inviting strength. The sudden surge of energy made the darkness fade, if only a bit, his conscious now becoming more associated with reality.

Shadow could now vaguely feel his limbs, if only slightly, every now and then attempting to move them. He couldn't even open his eyes.

He despised feeling, and being weak.

He was the ultimate life form, for chaos' sake!

The only thing he managed to move completely were his ears, swiveling them wherever he pleased.

He furrowed his brows when he heard voices sound now clear and no longer blurry to his ears. But his hearing went silent for moments, as if malfunctioning.

The voice sounded familiar, it's sultry like tone triggering something in his brain.

"Well...stay here...spare bedroom..."

Rouge the bat.

Good, so he remembered his...friends.

The word felt foreign on his tongue, like a bland piece of food you are forced to swallow in order to remain polite in the eyes of others.

Who the hell was here and why was she giving them their spare bedroom?

Shadow internally growled in frustration. He had sensitive hearing, how could he _not_ hear a conversation which was literally taking place in front of him?

Shadow swiveled his ear toward the voices, attempting to hear more clearly.

Nothing for several moments.

It seemed the lack of chaos energy damaged his body functions.

Maybe, even parts of his brain. He couldn't afford yet another experience of amnesia.

Shadow felt a sudden shift of chaos energy, and felt a comforting presence at his side.

This energy seemed very familiar. He could have sworn feeling, or at least sensing, this radiant energy countless times before.

Oh _Chaos_ , did he really get amnesia _again_?

And suddenly things then began to click together like a puzzle done hundreds of times before, Shadow's mind a quill away from making the realization.

But his grip to reality soon slipped, sending him sprawling into darkness once more.

The last thing he felt before slipping into complete unconsciousness was a surge of relief in the form of chaos energy coursing through his body.


	3. Comfort Chili

**Hey guys, sorry I didn't update for two weeks, I've been stressed lately. So i cut up what was going to be one whole chapter so I can go back to updating regularly. I might edit this chapter later on, but it will only be for minor details. I update more accurately on Ao3 since it's easier for me to update on there, so if you want to read this fic there, go right ahead.**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

Shadow sat in the darkness. His red eyes gleamed in the dark, visage full of boredom and irritation. He fiddled with his limiters, bored of the ongoing circumstances.

He had just faded back into consciousness, only to be sent back into the cold depths of unconscious peril.

He could use none of his five senses. His overly sensitive ears caught nothing, sharp eyes seeing nothing.

But the question nagging his mind remained.

What had caused him to wake up, even if for a few moments? The question constantly revolved around his mind, and he yearned for the answer.

Who had allowed him to wake up. It was someone's energy, that's for sure. His mind didn't cooperate, it refused to remember who it had been.

His body stung with faint pain, his nerves vibrant with unease.

Shadow growled at nothing in particular, frustrated at his current circumstance.

Whoever had caused him to go out of commission was going to _pay_.

* * *

Sonic sat in his wooden chair in front of Shadow.

He did nothing. His fingers were tapping together, emerald eyes concentrated on the view in front of him.

Which was Shadow's unmoving form.

He waited.

And then, there was a click, signifying Rouge's entrance.

"So, you finally appeared."

Rouge watched, eyelids half closed, as Sonic made the awkward transition of turning his chair around. At first, he attempted to do it without getting up, but his patience ran out and he just got up and turned the chair around himself.

"Sonic, it's only been an hour. What are you doing?"

Sonic sat down once again, leg crossed over another, palms pressed together as he tapped his fingers together like some intmidating character from an old timey cartoon.

Oh Chaos , he's gone mad.

"I warned you, not to put on Shadow's limiters."

Rouge's ears only flicked in response, aqua eyes gleaming in disinterest.

"Okay."

"Now, I have no choice, but to place them into permanent hiding." Sonic drawled, limiters in hand.

"Shadow wouldn't like that."

"Ugh, Rou-For chaos' sake, he's in a coma! He could care less about his dumb limiters! And your ruining the atmosphere!" Sonic whined at the end, voice an octave higher.

"Sure." Rouge said dryly, heels meeting wood as she left the room.

"Wait! I didn't tell you to face the consequences yet!"

"You're enough punishment." Rouge responded, and her heels echoed through the house as she made her way to the kitchen.

Sonic sighed, ears drooping.

His strategy of trying to outlive the boredom had failed.

Apparently, Rouge wasn't a fan of roleplaying.

And neither was he really, but it was better than just sitting in a room and reading countless books for hours on end.

"How do you live your days like this?" Sonic turned his head back, question directed at the unconscious ebony hedgehog behind him.

Sonic turned around, arms now resting on the back of the chair. "Just reading books and being quiet. I know that's your thing, and I completely...uh, kinda understand. But, the thing is, there is so much adventure to live that your missing out on, Shads! Ugh, I'm going to show you real fun when you wake up."

No response.

Sonic buried his head into his arms. His cheek pressed against the limiters in his hand, feeling the cool surface.

He was tired of the silence. He was tired of not hearing Shadow's annoyed voice responding to his ridiculous suggestions and teases.

He was tired of lounging around, not feeling the wind in his fur. He missed racing the ebony hedgehog, watching Shadow's skates flare to life as he prepared to perform a sonic boom.

He missed hearing Shadow's menacing but strangely comforting deep voice.

He...basically missed Shadow entirely.

Sonic clicked his tongue, watching the peaceful rise and fall of Shadow's chest.

When he saw Shadow struggling to breathe, despite it being hard to admit, it scared him.

He thought Shadow died, back when the ARK was saved. Watching his tired ruby eyes glow with relief and a spark of happiness as his super form wore off. Watching him fall to earth's atmosphere in the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity as well as Sonic and his friends.

The day they remet, the day where he saw Team Dark up on a ledge, taunting Team Sonic.

That day would always remain one of his happiest, and fondest memories. The relief and pleasant shock he felt of seeing Shadow taunting him, a smirk on his face as ruby eyes challenged him to try him on.

Finding out that the other was not dead, but perfectly fine and in one stubborn piece.

Nothing could compare to that, and if so, only few can compare.

After the whole incident, Shadow had been recruited as an agent of G.U.N, along with Rouge.

But Sonic always had suspicions of it. He felt Shadow did as well, but having the opportunity to protect the world and its people, heeding to Maria's promise, placed all these cons aside.

And so, Sonic remained silent on his opinions.

The delicious aroma of chili dogs soon hit his nose, waking him from his deep train of thought and his head snapped towards the door. Emerald eyes glanced at Shadow as he left the room, eyelids half closed and eyes narrowed. He approached the door, limiters in hand, eager to eat. He gripped the door frame, head peeking into the room.

"You better not make me have an inner breakdown again, you got me? I'm just going downstairs."

Silence.

"Okay, hedgehog." Sonic attempted to imitate Shadow's deep, husky voice.

Sonic then left, body in a vibrant state, a boince in his step as he made his way into the kitchen. The kitchen was rather small, a window letting sunlight in.

Rouge had her hand on her hip as she ladled contents in a pot. Sonic knew what was inside just by the savory and familiar aroma.

Chili.

"Wow, Rouge, you know how to make chili dogs?" Sonic asked, coming closer to the bat as he peeked inside the pot.

Rouge smirked.

"No, Shadow does."

"I-" Sonic raised his finger, but his voice failed him. He rubbed his ear, unsure if he had heard correctly. "I'm sorry, what? Come again, did I hear that correctly?"

"Yeah. Apparently, he takes it as comfort food. It surprised me when I saw him devouring a few while doing paperwork. He always complains about its unhealthy contents, but eats it in the end. It's rather amusing. I'll call you the next time he has an existential crisis."

"Huh." Sonic took a spoon, getting a spoonful and gulping it down. His eyes widened, recognizing the delicious savory flavor on his tongue.

"Hey, this tastes like mine!" Sonic remarked, staring at the pot.

"Yes, Sonic. That's because it's your recipe."

"What?! He never asked me for it!" Sonic claimed.

"No, he asked Tails. He liked your hot dog sauce so much that day you invited him over that he asked for it. You should feel special, Shadow rarely enjoys any type of food. He says it's a waste of time to enjoy food since it'll just end up being taken apart with the acid in your stomach." Rouge went on.

Sonic remained silent.

"I was actually surprised he agreed to go. But, I assume it was more to watch your brother invent than hear you speak his ear off." Rouge smiled. "I think watching Tails invent comforts him in a sense. He respects your brother immensely, you know."

Sonic groaned, rolling his eyes. "Of course he would think like that. About the whole stomach acid thing, I mean. And wow, I think Tails is going to like hearing that. It'll give him a boost of confidence, that's for sure."

"And, he's the ultimate lifeform. He can go days, even weeks if exposed to enough, by just feeding off chaos energy." Rouge added matter of factly.

Ah. Sonic didn't quite know that. But he had thought about it, guessing it. But he never confirmed it. He had done it himself those times when he was trapped in dungeons or cells.

But, it only lasted for a few days before he ran out of energy to feed on.

So that's why he never saw Shadow eat, not even once. He barely needs it to survive, let alone indulge himself.

Sonic himself couldn't go a day without a chili dog.

"Oh." Sonic said in response. He was speechless. Shadow liked his sauce. That was a surprise.

Maybe an achievement, even. Shadow liked something he did.

Rouge hummed, hips swaying back and forth as she spun the contents inside the pot.

She then took a hot dog which was boiling, placed it on a bun, and drizzled some of the sauce on top.

Sonic grabbed it, nodding in thanks, mouth watering at the delicious aroma.

He wondered if it made Shadow's mouth water as well. It probably did, if it made the other ask for the recipe.

Shadow sure was full of surprises.

* * *

"I found you, faker!"

Shadow grimaced at the other, eyes burning in annoyance.

So, he was living this memory again? The day he and the faker fought the second time since they met.

Shadow remained quiet, waiting to see if anything would happen if he didn't respond. He stared down at the other, satisfied at the fact that he had higher ground.

The silence stretched on for several moments, ruby and emerald eyes locked together in a deadly stare down.

Sonic quirked an eyebrow, quills swaying in the wind. His patience grew thin in a few seconds.

"Hey, I'm talking to you, you know!"

Shadow's eyes narrowed at the other. He remained silent, acting as if the other was of no importance.

This certainly pushed Sonic's buttons. He could see the other grit his teeth in irritation at the action.

So, the memory changed if he didn't respond. Interesting.

"Helloooo, faker. I'm right here. " Sonic drawled with annoyance. His hands made gestures, attempting to get the others attention.

Shadow smirked in response to the pathetic attempt.

"I haven't seen you in a long time, hedgehog. Make this fight a good one, I need to stretch my muscles."

"What do you mean? You just got me arrested a day or two ago! Man, you must have really bad memory." Sonic countered, fists tightening at the absurd comment.

Shadow only maliciously smiled further, ignoring the last comment, jumping down from his spot to stand a few inches from the other. Sonic jumped back, quills standing up in defense at the sudden action.

"I'll show you what true power is!" Shadow yelled getting into his fighting stance, eager to fight and practice his moves.

Sonic smiled smugly, eyes gleaming in eager waiting.

"Oh, it's on!"

* * *

"Why do your shoes look so heavy?"

Silence.

"I mean, mine look perfectly normal, but your look like they weigh pounds!" Sonic exclaimed.

Sure, his shoes had golden buckles in the side's, but at least his shoes weren't heavy.

"That's because they have metal rockets inside them which allow me to skate, you moron." Sonic spoke in a rather bad impression of Shadow.

Sonic sighed in his bean bag chair, sinking further into it. His emerald eyes stared at the heavy shoes, tilting his head.

He then got up, and grabbed Shadow's right shoe.

"Okay, these need to come off. You've had them on too long, you need more ventilation."

Sonic carefully took both of Shadow's shoes off, admiring their design as he did. They were strangely light, for shoes with metal inside them.

Sonic placed the shoes neatly alongside Shadow's bed and made his way back to the beanbag chair.

Tails had nagged him to get a cell phone, so he had. But, he wasn't full in touch with social media, so things he can do on there were lacking.

He didn't enjoy Amy spamming him on all his social platforms at all.

He had downloaded a few games, but he soon grew bored and the phone once again disappeared into his head quills.

Shadow had a phone as well, Sonic knew this for a fact. They had updated his old communicator, stating that it was unsatisfactory.

But Shadow still kept his watch like communicator, despite this. He had said it was a valuable thing to have once while they raced.

If you worked in a place like G.U.N, you need a way to communicate at a fast rate, he had said.

And the communicator Sonic had couldn't achieve more than half of what a phone could do. A phone could text, send pictures. All he could do with the communicator is hear voices and talk to others.

But, when your life is one like his, you can't really complain.

Sonic yawned, stretching his limbs.

He was never going to get used to this.

Both sitting in a chair for hours on end, and Shadow's rather peaceful expression as he slept on.

It looked like all his grief was suddenly lifted and taken away, leaving the ebony in a graceful state.

Sonic silently indulged himself, watching the rare expression in silent awe.

Shadow's grief was too much for one to handle.

Sonic realized with a heavy feeling that Shadow could never truly be at peace.

Because he closed his heart and feelings a long time ago, and the cage was one of fear.

Fear of hurting again, fear of losing, fear of loving. Having the strange fear of feeling any emotion at all which could bring forth pain. Feeling makes you go against your morals, your conscience. Feeling brought inner demons to the mind, making you regret things and do things which you would normally have control over and not do.

Sonic clutched the limiters harder, eyes troubled as unwanted memories which had mostly been forgotten entered his mind once again.

And Sonic knew that feeling all too well.


End file.
